| Before reading this article, please | | | | hamstring muscles in the push-off phase of |
| understand that there is no such thing as | | | | the running gait, but also keep your center |
| "perfect" running form. Since everyone has | | | | of gravity consistently rolling forward. |
| different limb lengths, varying muscle fiber | | | | Rather than focusing on using the muscles |
| sizes and angles, diverse masses, and | | | | around the knee to provide the driving force, |
| separate running distance requirements, no | | | | focus on running from the hips.Drill: |
| single athlete will run the same. But there | | | | Lean-fall-run. Stand completely still and as |
| are *characteristics* of a good runner that | | | | tall as possible. Without bending the knees, |
| remain fairly constant from person to person. | | | | let the entire body lean forward until you |
| Allow me to introduce you to four, and | | | | "fall" toward the ground and are forced to |
| include a drill to improve each.1. Increase | | | | take your first step forward. Transition |
| knee range of motion during the swing phase. | | | | directly into a short 10-20 yard run, |
| This means that your right knee should be | | | | continuing to lean forward and push backwards |
| more flexed (towards your butt) when your | | | | with the hips.4. Avoid excessive ankle and |
| right thigh is flexed forward during the run, | | | | hip flexion. Do not bend your knees or flex |
| as opposed to your right knee being more | | | | your ankles excessively during the landing |
| extended (away from butt). Same goes for the | | | | phase. While it may seem that this decreases |
| left, of course. Think of it this way - if | | | | joint impact forces, there is no empirical |
| you were swinging a weight attached to the | | | | evidence that runners who bend the knees more |
| end of a stick, you could move the weight | | | | have less injuries than runners who do not. |
| faster with less effort if the stick were | | | | However, there is evidence of increased time |
| shorter. In this case, the stick is your leg, | | | | spent in contact with the ground, which |
| and the weight is your foot. By having your | | | | decreases your elastic rebound from the |
| knee (the stick) more bent (or shorter), you | | | | ground and the overall power of each stride. |
| are able to move the weight (your foot) much | | | | You will naturally avoid excessive knee and |
| faster with less effort. The result will not | | | | ankle flexion if your focus on minimizing |
| only be a faster swing time (meaning a faster | | | | footstrike time.Drill: Cadence counts. During |
| foot turnover), but also reduced fatigue in | | | | your run, count the number of right |
| achieving the desired stride length.Drill: | | | | footstrikes achieved in a span of 20 seconds. |
| Heel-to-butt kicks. During your normal run, | | | | There should be 30 or more, indicating a |
| begin to exaggerate knee flexion, touching | | | | cadence of 90 or higher. Increased cadence |
| the butt with the heel during each stride. Do | | | | indicates decreased ground contact time.Focus |
| 20 touches for both the right and left legs, | | | | on making these changes to your gait pattern, |
| then continue in your normal gait pattern.2. | | | | and you will notice a marked increase in |
| Maintain flexible quadriceps and hip flexors. | | | | efficiency and economy. As you prepare for |
| These are the muscles along the front of your | | | | race season and design your weekly and |
| thigh that act to straighten the leg. If they | | | | monthly training plans, look into the |
| are tight, insufficient flexibility can | | | | triathlete training specials offered by |
| inhibit your ability to fully extend the leg | | | | Pacific Elite Fitness, at Greenfield runs |
| in the push-off phase of the running | | | | Pacific Elite Fitness at an online portal |
| gait.Drill: Platform stretch. Ideally, your | | | | |
| pelvic bone should be tilted backwards when | | | | for personal training, triathlete coaching, |
| stretching the quadriceps and hip flexors. To | | | | and free fitness and multi-sport |
| achieve this, find a platform or elevated | | | | |
| surface that is approximately at knee height | | | | advice. He resides in Liberty Lake, WA, |
| or slightly higher. Facing away from the | | | | where he works as director of sports |
| platform, and standing on your right leg, | | | | |
| bend your left knee and lock your left foot, | | | | performance for Champion Sports Medicine, a |
| shoelaces down, onto the surface. Hold 15-30 | | | | training and testing lab for |
| seconds, then switch.3. Deliberately focus on | | | | |
| pushing backwards with each step. This will | | | | athletes. |
| not only incorporate your gluteal and | | | | |